#balticeye

Ivangorod
Sometimes walls are built where they are at least expected. The things we shared in the past are now out of our reach. Be it places, families or friends. To re-establish the old connections, we all need to work together, so the wall can be broken.

Ivangorod
Like the old man and his wife the Baltic Sea states are sharing the same history. The countries grew up together, learned from each other and shared the good and bad sides of life. So that they can now walk together into a common future.

Ivangorod
This picture shows the fence of the border control between Narva and Ivangorod in Russia. People needed to cross the border to get to the other side, which included a lot of border controls and barricades to overcome.
The sky behind the fence represents the hope people had, that after all the problems they faced during their journey, there was always the other side waiting for them.
To get to the other side is an aim that is worth it to pass all the obstacles.

Ivangorod
The first word that comes into the mind, seeing this picture is connection. The lock between the gates unites them and gives both sides the strength to hold the connection between each other. Exactly this connection existed and still exists between the people in Narva and Ivangorod. Even if the people were separated by the border, they didn’t give up being in contact with each other. People from both sides passed the border to visit friends and family or to work in the other city. They were willing to shoulder a lot of problems not to lose the connection between the two cities, but also between the two countries Russia and Estonia. With this they showed, that a border between two countries isn’t automatically insuperable.

Ivangorod
This picture, showing the enemies cat and pigeon, exemplifies the rivalry which existed between a lot of the Baltic States during the centuries. The cat is standing in a defensively attitude and the look in her eyes is marked by suspicion. It doesn’t want the pigeon to come even closer. In our history we can find a lot of moments, in which on the one hand a nation wanted to steal something of the other and keep it for itself. On the other hand there were a lot of situations in which people were selfish and not willing to share their goods with anyone else.

Ivangorod
Although not always visible in the streets or demeanor of the people, religion still has an impact on many areas in the Baltic Sea region. Its influences can be seen in unexpected places, which surprise the unaware and give a wisp of the depth of its impact.

Ivangorod
Because of the fall of the Soviet Union, and the consequential formation of new countries and borders, the Russians who lived in Narva for generations, even before the First and the Second World War, are now part of Russia’s neighbouring country Estonia. Even if people need to face a lot of problems, they have learned to live with the circumstances and formed, like the grass and the tire, a cooperative community.

Ivangorod
When a war is over and peace is infiltrated into the nations, but also into the people, who fought against each other, everyone tries to start a new life. Although life is going on in the families, cities and countries, the scars of the war will always be present in the everyday life, and the experiences of the war are changing peoples’ identity forever. Every experience you make in your life, if good or bad, leaves a mark and changes you. This applies for events in the past, in the present and in the future.

Ivangorod
The reconstruction of the Narva and Ivangorod castles was possible thanks to the cross border co-operation program „United by Borders“, which was partially financed by the European Union. It marks the importance of their shared past and shows, that even though the border exists, the cooperation between Ivangorod and Narva is on a basis that is higher than just the regional level.

Ivangorod
This dandelion in the middle of the photo represents that you are special, and that we all have our own identity. The high grass represents the community around us.
Referring to Narva, the dandelion is representing Narva’s population. In Narva people have their own identity, it is one of a kind.

Ivangorod
Many of the Baltic States are united by the experience of war and some people were forced by super powers to join the war as soldiers. It is the ordinary citizens that suffer from these consequences and it takes enormous effort to rebuild not only the physical damages, but also the emotional ones.

Ivangorod
With this picture we want to show the obvious part of sharing across the borders. Trading – import and export of goods – was a solid base of economy, not only in the past. The Baltic Sea, which is the connecting point of Baltic countries, played a tremendous role in the exchanging of goods and bringing people together.

Ivangorod
When talking about trade in combination with two countries, separated by a border, money was and still is an issue.
In case of two different currencies, as it is now the case between Russia and Estonia, and in general between the Russian Federation and Europe, the exchange courses and how to deal with the taxes was always an issue in the politics of the neighbouring countries

Ivangorod
Even if we all have borders around us, throughout the years, we are still united!
We can take each other’s hands and cross the borders together.
The history shows us that it is possible to overcome obstacles, e. g. borders, and share our lives, as the people in Narva are exemplifying us.

Narva
As the wall was once united, so were the cities of Narva and Ivangorod.
The crack in the wall represents their division into two cities, now separated by a border. In similar ways not only the cities were divided, but also their citizens’ identities.

Narva
Symbolic of the intimately connected community in Narva, seeing the old lady feeding pigeons on the street was heart warming and a great example of how the people share a regional identity. It depicts the co-operation and shared pride for the region as well as the people in the area.

Narva
The destruction of war is visible across the two cities of Narva and Ivangorod. They are only small examples of what is a wider actuality across all over Europe. Seeing the old town hall of Narva is one of only three remaining buildings of the old city, it serves as a reminder of what was lost during the Second World War.

Narva
The place in the picture symbolizes that during the history people always had one special place where they could meet and share their experiences. This was quite important, especially in conflict situations, because people could calm down and get new energy.

Narva
This picture shows a part of the white tower at Narva castle.
The higher part of the tower was destroyed during the Second World War. The line you can see on the left side remarks the reconstruction of the tower, after the end of the war.

Narva
The flower and the bee in the picture represent trading. The bee needs and uses the flower. Important to know is, that the flower would not survive, if the bee would not exist. They both need and benefit from each other. Exactly like people needed to cooperate in past, while trading across the Baltic Sea.

Narva
What once was united in the past is now broken into pieces and it can never be the same, even if you try to fix it. Exactly like the smashed bottle. What once for the people was one regional identity is now shattered because of the border. Feeling neither Estonian or Russian everyone has got a different view on their identities.

Narva
We have been united in war as well as in peace and presently there exists unprecedented co-operation on an international level. More and more countries are joined in their common mission of improving the Baltic Sea region and promoting relations with each other.

Narva
The creation of the border and the visa system between Ivangorod and Narva separated many families from each other. When talking to citizens of both cities, they echoed the same thing: make it easier to travel across the border.

Narva
Being able to see two castles from two different countries, as the ones on each side of the Narva river, is rare if not unique. They exude a sense of history and one can easily imagine the rivalry that the builders had centuries ago. Even their original purpose reveals that relations in that area have not always been friendly. Being able to see the flags of each country on the castles really underlines that a land border divides them. However, the co-operation between the cities now tells a different tale. To see both castles from one vantage point reveals the common experiences that the cities have had.

Narva
This silver tree is a symbol of love, you can find it near Narva castle. If a couple marries they put a leaf with an inscription of their names and marriage date on it.
When the wind is blowing the leafs are making a smooth sound.
This sound seems to echo the voices of the past, speaking to the people in the present.

Narva
The sea has always been our connection. It provides a route to other countries as well as it gathers its admirers together. Some feel a deep connection to the sea, wherever they are, and it is relieving to know that wherever you are you can always come back home. It is also nice to understand that the Baltic States will always share a relationship to each other through our common sea.

Narva
The Baltic Sea is the most important connection between the so called „Baltic States“.
Without the Sea it wouldn’t be possible to identify them as a community. Since the beginning of Industrial Revolution in the 18th century the environmental pollution is an increasing problem that all countries are responsible for.
Problems like oil pollution exhaust fumes and overfishing cause the ecological system of the Baltic Sea to be more and more destructed. We need to learn from the mistakes of the past and try to find a way to reduce our emissions to save the nature of the Baltic Sea. We need to start the problem solving in the present to create a better future for all of us.